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Lakeside clarifies April Fools advertisement

Lakeside Inn and Casino has received much feedback from the community about the recent advertisement about our Lakeside Ranch and raising cattle for our restaurants in adjacent Rabe Meadows. As an update to our prior communication about this project, we have enhanced the project in a few ways. First, to best support the cattle, we’ll need to plant non-native grasses in Rabe Meadows that are best for their digestive system. In addition, emissions from transport of the cattle going to the slaughterhouse will be reduced with our own slaughterhouse going in behind our hotel later this year.

Finally, much April Fools Day humor will be included as we have no actual plans for a Lakeside Ranch!

Our only new plan as it pertained to our recent “news” is that we are indeed offering Brazilian Barbecue Nights at our Latin Soul restaurant on Fridays and Saturdays.

This paragraph of the original release had a hidden “April Fools” sentence: “Acquiring Pasture Resources In Local Federally Operated Open Lands is Slightly unexpected; however, the Regional Plan allows the return of land to previously permitted uses,” stated a TRPA representative.

At Lakeside Inn, we recognize our community is faced with many challenges. We hope you enjoy not taking too seriously the environment we all must navigate. Lakeside is committed to appreciating the humor to help us further love Tahoe for its beauty and environmental progress. Thanks for letting us celebrate April 1 and keeping Tahoe fun!

Lakeside Inn and Casino (www.lakesideinn.com), established in 1985, is locally owned and operated. Situated in the outdoor playground of the high Sierra, guests enjoy seasonal activities year-round. The adventure continues inside with 24-hour casino action, two restaurants and lodging.

Mike Bradford

CEO, Owner

Lakeside Inn and Casino

An open letter to the City Council

I need some clarification and background on a recent street paving project. The paving of Venice Street in the Tahoe Keys was completed about a year ago.

Prior to the paving the cracks and gaps in the street were so wide, that riding a street bike was dangerous. I do not think even a mountain bike ride would have been a pleasant experience. The pavement had been deteriorating for a long time.

Imagine the hope and excitement of having this main thoroughfare of the Keys being repaired. Unfortunately when complete, the new road was far from smooth and driving on it was the equivalent of being inside a rolling bouncing ball. I understand there were some issues with the outcome of this. Please explain to me and our fellow readers the why and what is being done to correct this, if any.

Being a resident of the Keys and watching the repaving project, please explain why the cracks and other underlying damage to the existing pavement was not properly remedied before the new paving material was applied. I am familiar with the paving process and do not understand why the new road surface was installed over a poorly prepared base, cracks and all. Please explain why filling/patching the cracks in the old surface was considered to be adequate before spending a significant sum of money to repave the surface.

I understand that the material used for the new surface was “sold to the city council as being a more flexible product, that should not crack as much as materials used in the past, and as a result would have a longer service life.” Well, here we are, a year later, and the cracks are resurfacing and yesterday I witnessed the cracks being patched with filler by city crews. We can’t blame this damage on the weather this year.

Please explain to me and all readers the costs involved — including the initial project. Why has the surface failed so soon, why was the old surface not properly prepared before applying the new surface, did the contractor provide any warranty for the work, and who is paying the city crews to patch a near new road surface. Perhaps I am missing something in your logic of this process.

Another beautification project of South Lake Tahoe — I do not think so.

J Plummer

South Lake Tahoe

‘Noah’ correct about not eating meat

TV host Glenn Beck and other stalwarts of the Christian right have attacked the recent blockbuster “Noah” as being “pro-animal” and unfaithful to the Bible. Well, yes and no. The film is both pro-animal and faithful to the Bible, at least to the Book of Genesis, our only source for the story of Noah.

After all, Genesis 1:29 admonishes “Behold, I have given you every herb yielding seed which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree that has seed-yielding fruit — to you it shall be for food.” It is only after the flood, with fruits and vegetables no longer abundant, that humans get permission to eat animal flesh. Even then, the Bible stipulates that lives of only select animals may be taken and always with reverence and minimal cruelty. This is certainly a far cry from today’s factory farm and slaughterhouse practices.

Regardless of how we may feel about “Noah’s” interpretation of the Bible, each of us can recreate the recommended diet of the Garden of Eden in our home by dropping animal products from our menu.

Taylor Little

South Lake Tahoe

Vacation rental owners being taxed unfairly

Owning a vacation home was a dream worth our life savings of more than 30 years.

It no longer is. The long arm of our El Dorado County Assessor is now reaching inside the walls of vacation rental homes.

But we never saw this coming. A new tax from assessor Karl Weiland on every interior item we purchased going back 21 years?

This takes our breath away.

Our reaction is: You have got to be kidding!

What an incredibly effective way to discourage anyone from purchasing or upgrading vacation property in El Dorado County.

I no longer have purchase receipts going back further than 10 years. Much of our condo supplies are second-hand, from Craig’s List, EBAY, and yard sales. Many are used from our primary home.

Other counties around Lake Tahoe are not part of this new tax. Burdening vacation rental homeowners only in El Dorado County is unfair and unethical.

I am consulting my tax preparer, my attorney, and the Association of California Realtors and am communicating with my neighboring vacation rental homeowners before I send in my form.

This is way beyond what is practical, reasonable, and ethical. And what next? Taxing items in our primary homes?

I see vacation homeowners fleeing to Nevada or going “underground” with their rentals, as many have done already.

Realtors should also be worried as they must disclose this new tax for buyers. Or will current owners and new buyers flee to Nevada? That certainly would defeat assessor Karl Weiland’s effort to increase tax revenue. Don’t you think?

Greg Ripke

Los Angeles

Students ask for yes on Measure L

As library users, we ask the community of voters to support Measure L to keep our SLT library open as many hours as possible during the week. We really enjoy borrowing many books from the young adult and graphic novel section. Some of us who are homeschooled use the library for research for history projects. We also have enjoyed Nanowrimo Writing Club. All of us have enjoyed the seasonal reading clubs and especially the summer programs, music, magic, wild animals and the Mexican culture.

Even as teens, we still come to the Lego Block Parties. We are all members of the World Explorers Pen Pal Club and we use the library for our meetings where we learn about different cultures, world geography and share our pen pal letters.